Privacy Policy

NORTH Link believes that the responsible handling of personal and health information is a key aspect of governance and is strongly committed to protecting an individual’s right to privacy.

MANAGEMENT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

At NORTH Link, we recognise the importance of your privacy and understand your concerns about the security of the Personal Information you provide to us.

We comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) as contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). The APPs detail how Personal Information may be collected, used, disclosed, stored and destroyed, and how an individual may gain access to or make complaints about the Personal Information held about them.

Personal Information is information or an opinion about an identified individual, or about an individual who is reasonably identifiable (Personal Information).

Sensitive Information, a sub-set of Personal Information, is information or an opinion about an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, political association membership, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, professional or trade association membership, trade union membership, sexual orientation or practices or criminal record, and includes health information and genetic information (Sensitive Information).

Health Information is a type of Sensitive Information and is information or an opinion about an individual’s health or disability, the health services provided or to be provided to them, their expressed wishes for the provision of future health services, personal information collected to provide a health service, personal information collected in connection with organ and body-part donation, and predictive genetic information (Health Information).

This Privacy Policy (Policy) details how NORTH Link collects, manages and processes Personal Information about you, whether you are a member of NORTH Link, a supplier or sponsor to the member base, an industry customer, a student, or other individual. By using our website, https://northlink.org.au/ (Website) or by submitting your Personal Information to us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood, and agree to the use of your Personal Information in accordance with this Policy.

We reserve the right to revise this Policy or any part of it from time to time. Please review the Policy periodically for changes.

What Personal Information we collect and hold

In the course of doing business, we endeavour to collect business information only. However, the collection of Personal Information in some instances is necessary or unavoidable. We collect the Personal Information we need to provide our services to and for our stakeholders and members, our industry customers, and for our business operations.

NORTH Link will only collect Personal Information that is necessary for its functions and activities and in doing so will use lawful and fair means. NORTH Link will only collect Sensitive Information, including Health Information, where consent has been given or otherwise as permitted by law.

The kinds of Personal Information we collect from you or about you depend on the transaction you have entered into with us, the products and services you or your organisation have contracted us to provide, and the products and services you or your organisation are interested in.

The kinds of Personal Information that we commonly collect and hold from you or about you include:

• NORTH Link stakeholders and members (actual or prospective): your name, address, contact phone numbers, email address, bank account details, credit card details, dietary requirements, place of employment etc.

• Jobs Vic employers and employees: Your name, address, contact phone numbers, email address, your employment and occupation details, your schooling / education / qualification details (including your previous education details such as Statements of Attainment and academic transcripts), your government identifiers (such as your Centrelink / Services Australia customer reference number (CRN), your Unique Student Identifier (USI) and your identity documents), your citizenship and/or visa status and/or ability to study in Australia, etc.

• Applicants and candidates for our work placement and internship programs: Your name, address, contact phone numbers, email address, your employment and occupation details, your schooling / education / qualification details (including your previous education details such as Statements of Attainment and academic transcripts), your government identifiers (such as your Centrelink / Services Australia customer reference number (CRN), your Unique Student Identifier (USI) and your identity documents), your citizenship and/or visa status and/or ability to study in Australia, etc.

• NORTH Link staff, contractors, volunteers (actual or prospective): your name, address, contact phone numbers, email address, employment history, schooling / education / qualification details, next of kin details, ability and access needs, dietary requirements, banking details, government identifiers (including tax file number and identity documents), citizenship, visa status and/or ability to work in Australia, superannuation details, and health information (including vaccination status and fitness for work) etc.

When you browse our Website, contact us electronically, or engage with us on social media, we may also record geographical tagging, cookies, your IP address and statistical data from your activity. We may use your Personal Information to customise and improve your user experience on our Website and other social media platforms. By using our Website you agree that we can record this information from your device and access them when you visit the Website in the future.

If you want to delete any cookies that are already on your computer, please refer to the help and support area on your internet browser for instructions on how to locate the file or directory that stores cookies. Please note that by deleting cookies or disabling future cookies you may not be able to access certain areas or features of our Website, or experience the full functionality of our Website.

Our Website may also contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our Website, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any Personal Information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this Privacy Policy. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

How we collect and hold Personal Information
We aim to collect Personal Information only directly from you unless it is unreasonable or impracticable for us to do so. For example, we collect Personal Information from you or about you:

• from your interaction with us when you obtain a service;
• from your correspondence with us, including emails, letters and telephone calls;
• when you participate in our events, seminars, workshops, webinars, functions, conferences, networking opportunities, ceremonies, contests, programs or promotions;
• when you participate in our internship and work placement programs;
• from application forms, expression of interest forms, contracts and other documents that you submit to us;
• from your participation in our research activities and feedback campaigns;
• from and related to your employment or engagement with us; and
• from your activity on our Website.

In some instances, we may rceive Personal Information about you from third parties such as associated businesses, allied agencies, referrers]. For example, when you participate in our Jobs Vic, internship or work placement programs, we will receive Personal Information about you from the organisations with whom you are connected or placed, or from government agencies, educational and vocational registration bodies and licensing bodies.

You can be anonymous or use a pseudonym when dealing with us, unless:

• the use of your true identity is a legal requirement; or
• it is impracticable for us to deal with you on such basis.

When collecting your Personal Information, we will inform you of the purpose/s for which the information is being collected.

Why we collect, hold, use and disclose Personal Information

We collect, hold, use and disclose Personal Information from you or about you where it is reasonably necessary for us to carry out our business functions and activities. For example, we collect, hold, use and disclose your Personal Information as necessary to:

• to operate and administer our NORTH Link network and associated industry groups;
• provide products and services to our stakeholders, members, industry customers and other individuals;
• to provide education, representation and lobbying and advocacy services;
• to conduct industry research; and
• to facilitate our networking and other social and industry events.

If we do not collect, hold, use or disclose your Personal Information, or if you choose not to provide certain Personal Information to us or do not consent to our collection, holding, use or disclosure of your Personal Information, we may not be able to answer (or fully answer) your enquiry. We may not be able to provide you with the products or services that you or your organisation have requested us to provide. You also may not be able to experience the full range of our services, programs and other offerings.

In some instances, we are specifically authorised or required to collect, hold and share the personal information we seek from you and about you (eg, to comply with taxation, workplace health and safety, education and other applicable laws). For example, when you participate in our Jobs Vic, internship or work placement programs, we will disclose Personal Information about you to the organisations with whom you are connected or placed, or to government agencies, educational and vocational registration bodies and licensing bodies, etc.

We may collect Sensitive Information from you or about you where there is a legal requirement to do so, or where we are otherwise permitted by law. In all other situations, we will specifically seek your consent (for example, collecting information about your dietary, ability and access needs as part of your RSVP to a function or event invitation / registration).

We also collect, hold, use and disclose your Personal Information for related purposes that you would reasonably expect, such as our administrative and accounting functions, payment processing, lobbying and industry representation activities, fraud checks, providing you with information about other products and services offered by us, marketing and promotions, market research, newsletter communications, event invitations, statistical collation and Website traffic analysis.

We will share your personal information with external business affiliates who assist us with our business and administrative functions and activities (eg, third party IT contractors, marketing and mailing houses, financial institutions and payment gateways, venue and event providers, research bodies and affiliated charitable foundations etc). You can contact us for further details at any time.

If our business operations are ever restructured, sold or merged with another organisation, your Personal Information will be disclosed and transferred as part of that restructure.

Where we wish to use or disclose your Personal Information for other purposes, we will obtain your consent.

Where we use your Personal Information for marketing and promotional communications, you can opt out at any time by notifying us. Opt out procedures are also included in our marketing communications.

We will also disclose your Personal Information to third parties (including government departments, industry lobbying and advocacy groups and enforcement bodies) where required or permitted by law.

How we hold and store Personal Information

Your Personal Information is held and stored on paper, by electronic means or both. We will maintain secure systems for storing Personal Information. We have physical, electronic and procedural safeguards in place for Personal Information and take reasonable steps to ensure that your Personal Information is protected from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification and disclosure. The measures we take include:

• storing Personal Information held on paper in locked offices in secure premises;
• protecting Personal Information held electronically with firewalls and password access;
• secure archiving of documentation; and
• our staff receiving regular training on privacy procedures.

Where we disclose Personal Information to third parties, our contractual arrangements with those third parties contain specific privacy requirements.

Destruction and De-identification

We will retain your Personal Information whilst it is required for any of our business functions and activities, or for any other lawful purpose.

We will take reasonable steps and we will use secure methods to destroy or to permanently de-identify your Personal Information when it is no longer required for any purpose for which the Personal Information may be used under this Policy and otherwise in accordance with the Privacy Act.

As an example, our destruction and de-identification methods may include:

• Paper records being placed in security bins and shredded or sent for secure destruction; or
• Electronic records being deleted from all locations, to the best of our ability, or encrypted and/or placed beyond use.

Overseas disclosure

Depending on the activity, our business may work with other businesses / organisations / people located overseas. In the course of doing business with you, we may disclose some of your Personal Information to overseas recipients, particularly where we have identified relevant networking and/or commercial opportunities that may benefit you. However, we will only do so where:

• it is necessary to complete the transaction you have entered into; and
• you have provided consent; or
• we believe on reasonable grounds that the overseas recipient is required to deal with your Personal Information by enforceable laws which are similar to the requirements under the APPs; or
• it is otherwise permitted by law.

Requests for access and correction

We have procedures in place for dealing with and responding to requests for access to, and correction of, the Personal Information held about you.
In most cases, we expect that we will be able to comply with your request. However, if we do not agree to provide you access or to correct the information as requested, we will give you written reasons why. For further information, please contact us.

To assist us to keep our records up-to-date, please notify us of any changes to your Personal Information.

Data Breaches

If we suspect that a data breach has occurred, we will undertake an assessment into the circumstances of the suspected breach within 30 days after the suspected breach has occurred. Where it is ascertained that a breach has actually occurred and where required by law, we will notify the Privacy Commissioner and affected individuals as soon as practicable after becoming aware that a data breach has occurred.

Complaints and Concerns

We have procedures in place for dealing complaints and concerns about our practices in relation to the Privacy Act and the APPs. These complaints and concerns will be handled by NORTH Link’s Executive Director. We will respond to your complaint in accordance with the relevant provisions of the APPs. For further information, please contact us.

Contact

NORTH Link
Executive Director: Chris James
Suite 4, Bld 1, R&D Technology Enterprise Centre,
La Trobe University
2 Research Avenue,
Bundoora VIC 3086
Telephone: (03) 9479 3339
E-mail: info@melbournesnorth.com.au

Last updated: November 2022